1. With Eternity‟s Values
in View
Part 4
by Samuel E. Ward
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3-12
1
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2. Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV2011) 1 Now when
Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a
mountainside and sat down. His disciples
came to him, 2 and he began to teach
them.
He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. 4 Blessed are those who
mourn, for they will be comforted. 5
Blessed are the meek, for they will
inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they will be
filled. 2

3. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will
be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure
in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be
called children of God. 10 Blessed are
those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
3

4. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult
you, persecute you and falsely say all
kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is
your reward in heaven, for in the same
way they persecuted the prophets who
were before you.
4

5. Introduction
It is in the Beatitudes that we especially
see the compassion Jesus feels for His
disciples. We also observe His
appreciation for those who are willing to
“stay the course” until all of what they
hope for becomes reality. They know the
struggle of trying to overcome sin in their
lives. When sin overtakes them it grieves
them to the very core of their spirit, and
they desire to be done with it. They also
know that only God can fix it.
5

6. So, Christ speaks words of blessing to
them. A better kingdom awaits those
who continue the fight against sin not in
their own power, but in the power of
Jesus Christ. If you need words of
encouragement from someone “who has
been there and done that,” let me offer
you the words of a fellow-soldier in
Christ, the apostle Paul.
6

7. Romans 7:21-25 (NIV2011) 21 So I find this
law at work: Although I want to do good, evil
is right there with me. 22 For in my inner
being I delight in God‟s law; 23 but I see
another law at work in me, waging war
against the law of my mind and making me a
prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will
rescue me from this body that is subject to
death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me
through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I
myself in my mind am a slave to God‟s
law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law
of sin.
7

8. We have examined the first two
blessings of the Beatitudes,
I. Blessed Are Those Who Are Poor in
Spirit, Mat 5:3
II. Blessed Are Those Who Mourn, Mat 5:4
Now we address the third.
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9. III. Blessed Are the Meek,
Mat 5:5
A. What Meekness Is Not
1. Meekness is not weakness. Jesus
was certainly not weak!
2. Meekness is not cowardice in the
face of danger. Jesus was no
coward!
Luke 9:51 (NIV2011) As the time
approached for him to be taken up to
heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for
Jerusalem. 9

10. 3. Meekness is not cowering in the face
of bullies. Jesus never cowered.
Luke 20:20-26 (NIV2011) 20 Keeping a
close watch on him, they sent
spies, who pretended to be sincere.
They hoped to catch Jesus in something
he said, so that they might hand him
over to the power and authority of the
governor. 21 So the spies questioned
him: “Teacher, we know that you speak
and teach what is right, and that you do
not show partiality but teach the way of
God in accordance with the truth.
10

11. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar
or not?” 23 He saw through their
duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me
a denarius. Whose image and inscription
are on it?” “Caesar‟s,” they replied. 25
He said to them, “Then give back to
Caesar what is Caesar‟s, and to God what
is God‟s.” 26 They were unable to trap
him in what he had said there in public.
And astonished by his answer, they
became silent.
11

12. 4. Meekness is not the inability to stand
against opposition. Jesus never
backed away from those who wanted
to silence Him.
Luke 19:37-42 (NIV2011) 37 When he
came near the place where the road
goes down the Mount of Olives, the
whole crowd of disciples began joyfully
to praise God in loud voices for all the
miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is
the king who comes in the name of the
Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in
the highest!”
12

13. 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd
said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your
disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if
they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw
the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If
you, even you, had only known on this
day what would bring you peace—but now
it is hidden from your eyes.”
13

14. 5. Meekness is not apathy. Jesus had
strong feelings and did care about
what was happening around Him.
Matthew 9:35-36 (NIV2011) 35 Jesus
went through all the towns and
villages, teaching in their
synagogues, proclaiming the good
news of the kingdom and healing every
disease and sickness. 36 When he saw
the crowds, he had compassion on
them, because they were harassed and
helpless, like sheep without a
shepherd. 14

15. B. What Meekness Is
1. Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV2011) 22 But
the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindnes
s, goodness, faithfulness, 23
gentleness and self-control. Against
such things there is no law.
15

16. 2. Meekness is a core Christ-like
attitude.
a. He does not want to lay upon us
burdens we cannot bear, only
those burdens which a gentle
caring Master would fit to our
strength and ability to carry.
16

17. Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV2011) 28 “Come
to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. 29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from
me, for I am gentle and humble in
heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light.”
17

18. b. He does not come to us as a
conquering king taking possession
of His subjects. He rather wants to
be known as a Delivering King, who
will bring peace and rule those in
His kingdom with their best
interests at heart.
Matthew 21:4-5 (NIV2011) 4 This
took place to fulfill what was spoken
through the prophet: 5 “Say to
Daughter Zion, „See, your king comes
to you, gentle and riding on a
donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a
donkey.‟ ” 18

19. The rest of the passage being quoted
from Zechariah 9 states what Israel was
hoping for on that day and what Jesus
was promising to bring one day in the
future.
Zechariah 9:10 (NIV2011) I will take
away the chariots from Ephraim and the
warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle
bow will be broken. He will proclaim
peace to the nations. His rule will extend
from sea to sea and from the River to the
ends of the earth.
19

20. C. What Meekness Does
Meekness is the choice to exercise
restraint instead of severity when first
approaching an issue with another.
1. It seeks gentle restoration before
harsh discipline in dealing with sin.
20

21. Galatians 6:1 (NIV2011) Brothers and
sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you
who live by the Spirit should restore that
person gently. But watch yourselves, or
you also may be tempted.
1 Corinthians 4:21 (NIV2011) What do
you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod
of discipline, or shall I come in love and
with a gentle spirit?
21

22. 2 Corinthians 10:1-2 (NIV2011) 1 By the
humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal
to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when
face to face with you, but “bold” toward
you when away! 2 I beg you that when I
come I may not have to be as bold as I
expect to be toward some people who
think that we live by the standards of this
world.
22

23. 2. It relates to difficult people with
gentle patience.
Ephesians 4:2-3 (NIV2011) 2 Be
completely humble and gentle; be
patient, bearing with one another in
love. 3 Make every effort to keep the
unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace.
23

24. 3. It is worn as a part of our spiritual
“wardrobe” with which we clothe
ourselves and display the grace of
Christ to the rest of the church and
to the world.
Colossians 3:12 (NIV2011)
Therefore, as God‟s chosen
people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentle
ness and patience.
24

25. 4. It is applied to all people regardless
of position or status.
Titus 3:1-3 (NIV2011) 1 Remind the
people to be subject to rulers and
authorities, to be obedient, to be ready
to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no
one, to be peaceable and
considerate, and always to be gentle
toward everyone. 3 At one time we too
were foolish, disobedient, deceived and
enslaved by all kinds of passions and
pleasures. We lived in malice and
envy, being hated and hating one
another. 25

26. 5. It demonstrates an essential quality
for those who would be leaders
among God‟s people.
a. God‟s servant must be known as a
gentle person among other
attributes.
26

27. 1 Timothy 6:10b-11 (NIV2011) 10b Some
people, eager for money, have wandered
from the faith and pierced themselves
with many griefs. 11 But you, man of
God, flee from all this, and pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, end
urance and gentleness.
27

28. b. God‟s servant must use gentle
instruction to lead those who
oppose the truth.
2 Timothy 2:25-26 (NIV2011)
25 Opponents must be gently
instructed, in the hope that God will
grant them repentance leading them
to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and
that they will come to their senses
and escape from the trap of the
devil, who has taken them captive
to do his will.
28

29. Conclusion: So What Is a Biblical
Definition of Meekness?
Meekness is the exercise of gentleness
from the position of strength. This is
what makes it such a godly and Christ-like
character trait. Its closest relatives to
other traits are grace and mercy. None
are so meek, so gentle, as Jesus in His
approach to sinners and ministry to
disciples.
29

30. 1. Jesus was gentle toward the
helpless.
Matthew 9:35-36 (NIV2011) 35 Jesus
went through all the towns and
villages, teaching in their
synagogues, proclaiming the good
news of the kingdom and healing every
disease and sickness. 36 When he saw
the crowds, he had compassion on
them, because they were harassed and
helpless, like sheep without a
shepherd. 30

31. 2. Jesus was gentle toward the
sinners.
Matthew 9:10-13 (NIV2011) 10 While
Jesus was having dinner at Matthew‟s
house, many tax collectors and sinners
came and ate with him and his
disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw
this, they asked his disciples, “Why
does your teacher eat with tax
collectors and sinners?”
31

32. 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not
the healthy who need a doctor, but the
sick. 13 But go and learn what this
means: „I desire mercy, not sacrifice.‟ For
I have not come to call the righteous, but
sinners.”
32

33. 3. Jesus was gentle toward His enemies.
When Jesus was arrested in the
garden, He did not resist or allow others to
stand in the way. He did not need them
to.
Matthew 26:52-53 (NIV2011) 52 “Put your
sword back in its place,” Jesus said to
him, “for all who draw the sword will die
by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot
call on my Father, and he will at once put
at my disposal more than twelve legions of
angels?” 33

34. He chose instead to continue the path
that began in the garden and would
ultimately lead Him to the cross.
Luke 23:34-35 (NIV2011) 34 Jesus
said, “Father, forgive them, for they do
not know what they are doing.” And they
divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35
The people stood watching, and the
rulers even sneered at him. They
said, “He saved others; let him save
himself if he is God‟s Messiah, the Chosen
One.” 34

35. “Blessed are the meek, for
they will inherit the earth.”
The counsel of scripture is this.
1 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV2011) 8 Finally, all of
you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love
one another, be compassionate and
humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or
insult with insult. On the contrary, repay
evil with blessing, because to this you
were called so that you may inherit a
blessing.
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